Almost Ready
by oscarpaz00
Summary: The last story in the 'Those Four Last Days of the War' universe, sort of a sequel to 'A Very Weasley Christmas'. The night Ron and Hermione almost made love for the first time.


_Well, here it is the last story from the **Those Four Last Days of the War** universe. As I've previously stated, it has more to do with the plot in that story than **A Very Weasley Christmas**. It is not necessary to read those stories to enjoy this little piece, but I'd recommend you to read **A Very Weasley Christmas**, because it describes the beginning of Ron and Hermione's relationship._

_Thanks, once more, to **ObsessedRHShipper**._**  
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><p><strong>Almost Ready<strong>

_First week of May, 1997_

"He's completely mad," Ron said, scratching his head in confusion. Harry had just put his Invisibility Cloak on and exited the room, saying that he was off to Hagrid's instead of going straight to Slughorn's office to try and persuade him to give him the true memory of the night when Tom Riddle had asked him about horcruxes, whatever they were.

"Agreed," Hermione said, shaking her head and sitting on Ron's bed. She sighed. "Well, I hope he knows what he is doing and doesn't waste that _Felix Felicis_ ..."

"We'll have to wait and see, won't we?" Ron commented, and sat beside her.

"Yes," she said, and glanced at her watch. "Well, we'd better go down to the common room. The exams are just five weeks away and —"

"Aaagh," groaned Ron, putting on a face. "Is this necessary, Hermione?"

Hermione glared at him. "Of course it is, Ron! Next year we'll have our NEWTs and —"

"But how could you focus on your studies, when Harry is out there, maybe discovering what _horcruxes_ are? I couldn't concentrate," he said quickly, stopping her rant. "Besides, surely there are things both Harry and I don't understand, so, if we study now, you'll have to explain them to me, and later to him. That would be a waste of effort."

Hermione eyed him suspiciously, already knowing where this was heading.

"And what do you suggest we do then?" she asked.

Ron grinned broadly and started to rub Hermione's left arm softly. She felt a shiver run down her spine at his touch.

"Well ... it's been a while since our last snog ..."

Hermione stared at him disbelievingly and then couldn't help but laugh. "What are you saying? We had our Apparition test today! And I remember vividly how ... _glad_ you were that we both had passed, and how grateful you were for my help."

"Well, it is your fault then," he said quickly, changing tactics. "You've drugged me. You've got me addicted to you."

"Now it's _you_ who's gone completely mad."

"Come on, you know you're as addicted to me as I am to you," he said.

"I'm not," she replied, knowing perfectly well she was lying, and that he knew she was lying. But it was one of their private jokes, and one they never got tired of repeating.

"You are," he insisted, towering over her, so she had to recline a little. "Don't deny it. Be brave and admit it, like I'm doing," he continued, and then gave her a quick kiss on her lips. "You're more addicting than a Sugar Quill; if I could, I'd lick you all ov—" he stopped suddenly, realising what he was saying, and his ears turned a bright shade of red. Hermione almost let out a moan, imagining exactly what Ron had said, and a new shiver ran through her body. "Oh, oh, I'm — I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean — I —"

"It's all right," she said, caressing his left arm. "I know what you mean. There's — there's nothing wrong about it."

"There — there isn't?" he asked, surprised and a bit relieved.

"There isn't," she assured him. "I have to say that I'm ... flattered," she added, giving him a nervous smile. "I mean, my mother always says that sex is nothing to be ashamed of ... She told me that last Christmas, in fact ..."

Ron's ears turned red again. "Your mother?" he asked, opening his eyes widely. "Your mother told you that — _that_. But, did she mean —? I mean, with — with ... _me_?"

"We weren't speaking about specific people," she said, without looking at him.

"Okay," he said, nodding. "Yeah, er — maybe we should go downstairs, then?"

Hermione looked at him, and smiled. God, he really could be so _adorable_ sometimes! And now her body was tingling due to his words and his sweetness. She simply needed him.

"I thought you were addicted to me and wanted to snog me."

"Well, yeah ..."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked, smirking. "A formal invitation?"

"Merlin's pants, Hermione ... You drive me completely mad," he said huskily, and crushed his mouth against hers, making her moan in delight. She felt his long arms envelop her tightly, and she did the same, caressing the back of his head and that red hair she loved so much.

Seconds later, they were lying flat on the bed, Ron partially above her. As their tongues started to dance together, his right hand moved slowly down her back and stopped on her arse, giving her a soft squeeze that made her moan again.

"Have I told you how soft your — your bum is?" he said, panting heavily, his mouth inches away from hers.

"I think you told me that the first time you touched it," she answered in a husky voice, and smiled, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Well, it's true," he said, smiling back and giving her bum another squeeze. Hermione moaned again and used her arms to press his head back towards hers. Their lips touched again and their mouths opened, as if they were thirsty and couldn't get enough of each other.

"Yours is not bad, either," she said between kisses; usually preferring to caress his chest, arms and neck, for the first time she touched his bum, causing her to feel a jolt of electricity run through her body.

He laughed and started kissing her nose, her lips, her cheeks, her chin and her neck, making her laugh happily.

"God, you taste so good," he whispered. "Your mouth ... your skin ... your neck ... You're tastier than Sugar Quills, or even than Chocolate Frogs ..." Hermione moaned at his words, again enthralled by him. "Tell me. Tell me why we wasted so much time before doing this for the first time."

"Because you're —" kiss "— daft ..." kiss "— thick ..." kiss "— oblivious ..."

"And that's —" kiss "— why —" kiss "— you —" kiss "— like —" kiss "— me —" kiss "— so much."

"True," she said, kissing his nose and laughing. "You've said that I am _mental_, haven't you?"

"And I wouldn't have you any other way," he said, more seriously and looking directly into her eyes.

Hermione felt herself melt, and a powerful surge of love and affection coursed through her. That was one of the things she loved most about Ron, the fact that he could be tactless, funny, or careless in one moment, and the next moment he could be incredibly sweet. It was a side of him that only she had seen.

"Ron ..." she said, half moaning, and kissed him again, forcefully, this time pushing him against the bed and lying over him, their legs tangled. Ron embraced her again, and, while she caressed his face and chest, he started stroking her thighs, moving upwards until his hands rested, again, over her arse. A sudden, intense warmth spread throughout her body, and for a moment, she wished that Ron would put his hands under her robes, because she wanted to feel them against her bare skin —

Parting from him, she looked deeply into his eyes. Was she ready? Was she ready to have sex with Ron?

"Hermione?" he asked, with a hint of worry in his voice. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am," she said. "Just ... a bit flustered," she added, and Ron smiled smugly.

"Yeah, I have that effect on you," he said, sounding very pleased.

She slapped him on the arm playfully. "Idiot!" she exclaimed, and watched him as he laughed.

Was she ready? She remembered what she had felt when he had mentioned licking her all over. She thought about the feeling she had every time he put his hands on her arse, pressed her body against him, or kissed her neck. But she felt nervous, too. They were at Hogwarts, after all, in a dorm Ron shared with another four boys ...

He pulled her against him again, and was about to kiss her once more when the door opened, and Hermione, startled, rolled over, until she was lying flat on her back next to Ron, instead of over him.

"Oh, sorry!" Neville said, stopping dead when he spotted them, and blushed furiously, utterly embarrassed. "I didn't know that — I — Sorry!"

"Calm down, Neville," said Hermione in a soothing tone, sitting up and trying not to show the embarrassment she was feeling. "It's all right. We were — talking."

"Yeah, just ... talking," assured Ron unconvincingly. "We were going downstairs," he added.

"Okay," said Neville awkwardly, looking away. He made his way to his bed and began to search for something inside his trunk.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Hermione took in their dishevelled appearance, flushed faces and red lips. It was _obvious_ they hadn't been just talking, and she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment.

_That's why you shouldn't think about sex while being at Hogwarts!_ said a voice inside her head.

Without saying anything more, they tried to fix their clothes and hair and then went downstairs. When they reached the common room, Hermione shook her head.

"That was embarrassing," she said in a low voice, so no one in the common room could hear her. "Neville caught us _in your bed_!" she exclaimed, mortified.

"We weren't doing anything," said Ron, trying to calm her.

"Of course we were!"

"Hermione, everyone has seen us snog before ..."

"Not in your bed!" she said, trying not to raise her voice.

"You said s-sex was nothing to be ashamed of," he stated.

"Between us!" she replied, heated. "It's not a show for the entire house! We're _prefects_, Ron!"

"I know. Relax, Hermione. Neville is a discreet person; he won't tell anybody."

"I know Neville's trustworthy! But we ought to be more careful. You share your dormitory with four people!"

"Then why don't we continue this in another place? A more private place?"

"What!"

"Oh, come on. We don't know when Harry will come back, so we have time. And I didn't finish the study I was doing about you ..." he whispered into her ear, grinning again. "I promised you I'd be more ... _thorough _with my homework, didn't I?"

Hermione stared at him open-mouthed. "_The study _—? You're kidding!"

"I'm not."

"You're — you're just under the influence of your hormones!"

Ron stared at her, taken aback, and blinked quite quickly a few times, staring at her as if he hadn't understood what she had said. "_'Under the influence of my hormones_?_'_" he repeated, amused. "What the hell does that mean? What are 'hormones?'

"Forget it," she said, shaking her head.

"Alright," he said, as he kept staring at her. "Are we going then?" he asked after a few seconds. "For a walk?"

"You're impossible!"

He shrugged, grinning again, and she couldn't help returning the smile. When he offered his hand to her, she took it without a second thought.

They exited the common room, and trying to avoid being detected, they ended up in an empty classroom in the second corridor of the sixth floor, one of the less visited places in the castle.

Just after closing the door, Ron was kissing Hermione again, while he pushed her softly backwards, until they reached the teacher's desk. Then he surprised her by lifting her by the waist and placing her on the desk. He attacked her mouth with renewed fervour, and she caressed his back, until her hands grabbed his bum, pressing him against her, letting him settle between her legs.

He moaned, and began to kiss her jaw and her neck, while his frantic hands stroked her thighs and hips.

"Don't ... leave ... a mark," she warned him.

"I won't," he said, biting her earlobe.

Their excitement grew, they started to kiss more passionately, and their hands began to roam faster and with more need.

After a while, Ron's hands began to caress her sides. She was becoming more and more excited, and then, suddenly, she felt Ron's right hand on her left breast, something he had never done before. Shocked, both of them parted their mouths, and, panting heavily, stared into each other's eyes.

"Sorry, Hermione, I —" he started to say, and took his hand off her breast. But, without really knowing what she was doing, she grabbed it and put it back where it had been. Ron's eyes became the size of saucers.

"Don't be sorry," she said, feeling bolder than ever, and, grabbing the front of his robes, smashed his lips against hers once more. Ron's hand began to move slowly and tentatively over her breast, sending waves of pleasure through her entire body. Needing more contact, they moved even closer, and then she felt _it_.

_Ron's erection_. Pressing against her, between her legs.

The feeling, expected and unexpected at the same time, caused intense shock in her; she couldn't help it and moaned. Feeling more turned on, she deepened their kiss, making it more intense and heated.

_Am I ready_? She wondered, with the last ounce of rationality she had, while their mouths moved tirelessly against each other's. Part of her was telling her that she was, but another was saying that it was too soon, that they were in an empty classroom at Hogwarts, that anyone could catch them —

"Bloody hell, Hermione, you're killing me," he moaned, kissing her jaw-line and stroking her breast a bit more eagerly.

"Don't ... swear," she told him between pants.

Their mouths found each other's once more, and their tongues resumed their dance. Hermione's hands found Ron's bum again, and squeezed, at the same time pressing him more against her. Ron's right hand kept stroking her breast, and the other moved from her back towards her chest and started to unbutton her robes.

_You're not ready! _a voice told her.

_I am!_ she yelled back.

_You're acting without thinking, and that's not you!_

_I don't care; this feels too good ... He feels too good!_

_Anyone could catch you! You want to be Head Girl!_

Ron unbuttoned her third button and she started to get a bit nervous, despite how good she was feeling. Maybe she wasn't ready after all?

And then, before she could make up her mind, a sudden and loud noise like metal banging against stone coming from the corridor outside the classroom startled them, and they jumped apart, their heart rates increasing even more.

"What the hell —?" began to say Ron, his face flushed, turning to look at the door.

"Don't worry, my precious!" they heard Filch say, probably talking to Mrs Norris. "It was just the damned bucket. Its handle broke."

Ron and Hermione, alarmed, moved and hid beside the door, so if anyone opened it, they would not be seen immediately. Hermione was trying to button her robes with trembling hands.

"Oh, God, Oh God!" she was saying. What if Filch — or a teacher — had found them, with Ron's hand on her breast and her robes unbuttoned? She imagined for a moment Professor McGonagall or Snape opening the door, walking into the classroom and finding them in that _situation_, and she felt her blood run cold.

"Sssh!" said Ron, and they both listened to Filch picking up the bucket and then leaving, still talking to his cat and cursing the bucket.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "That was close," she said.

"He didn't enter here," Ron replied, but he, too, seemed relieved. "There's no privacy in this bloody castle!" he exclaimed angrily.

"No, there isn't," Hermione nodded. "And this year is worse, what with all the heightened security."

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I — I lost control. It's just that when I'm with you —"

"I lost control, too," she said, grabbing his hand, and let out another sigh. "We should go back to Gryffindor tower."

"Yes, we should," he agreed.

They exited the classroom cautiously. They moved down the corridor and towards the stairs. They had just turned a corner when they heard some people laughing while they exited another classroom, saying something about Filch. Ron and Hermione stopped and the boys, who looked like third- or fourth-years, froze on the spot after seeing them and their prefect badges.

Hermione frowned and adopted a scolding expression at once.

"What are you lot doing, outside your common rooms, at this hour?"

The boys blushed and looked down, no one of them daring to reply.

"You know very well that wandering around the corridors at this hour is not allowed," Hermione continued. "So —"

"— So go back this instant, and if we catch you again, you'll be in serious trouble," finished Ron, and while Hermione turned her head towards him, shocked and affronted, the boys hurried up and disappeared from view.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I was going to —"

"— give them detention, yes," finished Ron for her. "But Hermione, don't you think it would be a bit hypocritical, after — well, after _what we were doing_?"

Hermione was left speechless. She wanted to reply, but she had to accept that Ron was right.

"Well, I suppose that it would be a bit hypocritical, yes," she admitted, a bit reluctantly.

"Let's go, shall we?" he said, smiling at her, grabbing her hand, and dragging her towards the seventh floor and the portrait of the Fat Lady quickly.

The common room was empty when they walked in, and, relieved, both dropped onto the couch.

"Hermione ..." Ron said after a while. "Would you —? I mean, would you have — _you know_, _done it_ with me? Tonight?"

Hermione felt herself blush. "I don't know. Maybe. I — I wanted to, Ron. But, well ... I don't know if I'm ready. I think I am but — well, I'm not sure."

Ron nodded. "I don't want to pressure you," he declared. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know," she nodded, smiling at him.

"Anyway, it was a great — no, a _brilliant_ snog," he commented, smiling happily. "And I have to say that you're really soft, Hermione. _Everywhere_," he added boldly.

Hermione's face flushed. "I — I suppose," she said. "And yeah, it was a great snog." She sighed. "But I think we should — we should wait. I don't know if I'm ready and we're still at Hogwarts."

"But nobody saw us," he said, a bit disappointed.

"But we _could_ have been caught," she replied. "Imagine McGonagall telling your mum that you've been caught having sex with your girlfriend in a classroom."

Ron opened his eyes in fear, and his face lost colour completely.

"Bloody hell!" he said, closing his eyes. "Don't ever mention sex and my mum in the same sentence, please!"

"You see my point," Hermione commented.

Ron leant against the back of the couch and put his hands over his face, nodding. And then, after a while, he started to laugh and shake his head.

"What?" Hermione asked, frowning. "What's so funny?"

"I almost got _Hermione Granger_ to — to _shag_ in an empty classroom!" he said, and laughed again.

Hermione's face turned crimson. "Do you have to be so vulgar?"

"But it's true!" Ron continued. "I mean, you told me and Harry off once just for going to a duel with Malfoy! And now you let me — let me touch you and unbutton your robes in an empty classroom!"

"It's not funny! And it's 'Harry and me!'"

Instead of stopping laughing, Ron started to cackle. Hermione stared at him, open-mouthed, and wanted to feel offended, but his laughter was contagious and, after a while, she couldn't help but begin to laugh as well.

"Merlin's p-pants," Ron said, hiccupping. "Imagine Filch's f-face if he found us with my hand on your — your b-breast!"

"It's not ... funny!" protested Hermione, leaning against Ron and laughing even harder.

"I ... know!" he said.

After a few minutes, the laughter died away, and they just stayed there, sitting, leaning against each other on the couch in silence.

"Ron," Hermione said after a minute.

"Yeah?" he asked, stroking her hair.

"We should avoid what happened today," she said, seriously, and he looked at her. "At least until summer," she added. "I mean, it was great. It felt great. But — I don't know if I can control myself in that situation."

"I understand, Hermione," he said, and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She smiled gratefully at him. "I think you're right."

Hermione deposited a chaste kiss on his lips. "Thanks."

"Do you think Harry's back?" Ron asked a moment later.

"I don't know," she said. "Why don't you check?"

Ron nodded and went up to the boys dormitories, coming back after just half a minute.

"He isn't there," he told her from the bottom of the staircase. Hermione stood up and joined him.

"Well, I suppose that's a good thing, isn't it?" Hermione reasoned. "Maybe he got it and he's in Dumbledore's office."

"Yeah, that makes sense," nodded Ron.

"It's late; we should go to bed," she commented, checking her wristwatch. "We'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Yes, you're right. Goodnight, Hermione," Ron said, and leant forward to kiss her. The kiss lingered for a few seconds and then they parted.

"Goodnight, Ron," she said smiling.

"Just so you know," he said, whispering into her ear and making her shiver, "I had a great time with you today."

"Me too," she answered, and gave him a peck on the lips.

With one last smile, Ron went upstairs. Hermione bit her bottom lip while her eyes followed him and lingered on his bum. She felt her body tingle again and then sighed.

"This summer," she told herself, before turning and starting to climb the staircase leading to her dormitory. "This summer."

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><p><em>Those of you who know me know how much I love irony. I enjoyed a lot writing this story. Their relationship, their intimacy, has progressed a lot since Christmas. It's so hard that things had to be this way!<em>

_And yeah, this is the end. I know that some of you wanted more (certain 'party' in Grimmauld Place), but I won't write more. I think it is more than enough. Some mystery is good. This story and it's universe has accompanied me for ten months now, and it is sad to say goodbye, but that's how things are._

_I have to say that I've started a new long story, and I've already written two chapters. I won't publish it until it is completed - If I complete it - so you probably won't know from me in the next months_. _Well, I'll keep reading, of course. And, who knows? I could write a shorter story in between, though I doubt it._

_See you, thanks and know that, though I write for pleasure, a review helps with inspiration!_


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